Ashley is ready for her dream Christmas. She's made it to the big city from her small hometown where nothing ever happened, worked herself to the bone to show her bosses at the jewelry store she's manager material, and rumor has it her boyfriend has made a purchase of his own from the "I Do" section of the shop. Never mind that she hasn't been back to see her family for years, she'd much rather be designing jewelry of her own than selling someone else's, and she hasn't quite gotten over the boy whose heart she broke back in Owl Lake. But happiness in within her grasp, she's sure of it.
But things aren't always what they seem and a devastated Ashley soon finds herself on a train back home to Owl Lake instead of having a romantic Christmas in Paris with her boyfriend. On the long journey back, her kindly, elderly seat neighbor, Betty, strikes up a conversation and they bond over the beautiful charm bracelet Betty is wearing. The two chat as the miles go by and Ashley shares her recent struggles, but, eventually, she drifts off to sleep.
As the train pulls into her hometown's station, she awakens and is shocked to discover Betty's charm bracelet around her wrist and a note wishing her the Christmas of her dreams. With no idea of where she got off, she has no choice but to accept the gift even though she feels guilty about it. She makes her way to her parents' house, where another surprise is waiting: an adorable golden retriever sitting on the porch as if he's waiting for her, complete with a big red bow tied around his neck. She assumes he belongs to her parents, her parents assume he belongs to her, and Fruitcake joins the family. Ashley is sure he must be a stray, but she can't ignore that he exactly fits the bill of the dog she always wanted growing up. And, strangely enough, the first charm on her bracelet looks exactly like him, right down to the red bow. She writes it off as a coincidence; what else could it be?
Soon after her arrival, her roommate frantically calls with news: there's a management position open at the jewelry store and Ashley needs to be there in person if she wants a shot at it. Despite the winter storm blowing in, Ashley decides to try to make it back. One thing leads to another and the next thing she knows, she's being rescued by Aidan, her old flame. He's not just her high school sweetheart anymore, though; a beloved member of the local fire department, he's become the town sweetheart and the catch every girl would like to make... if he weren't so closed off.
Surrounded by the nostalgia of days gone by, Ashley desperately wants to make amends with Aidan, especially since they can't seem to stop running into each other. But Aidan hasn't gotten past being rejected by the girl he loved and Ashley has problems of her own: the closer it gets to Christmas, the more the charms on her bracelet seem to be coming true in what has to be the most spectacular series of coincidences ever. After all, magic isn't real... or is it? And even if it is, will it be enough to give Ashley the Christmas of her dreams and turn her life around?
This is a Hallmark book. It has exactly the plot you would expect, what you expect to happen is exactly what happens, and it ends exactly how you'd expect. *But* - and here's where I think I'm probably going to lose some of you - that's exactly what I love about it. I used to absolutely hate cheesy romances, but now that I've been around the block a few times, there's something comforting about a story where you know everything's going to turn out okay in the end. No matter what happens, you just know it's going to make it back around by the last page. It's nice; real life is, of course, not like that at all, so it's a nice break from reality. Is this book going to change your life? Probably not. Is it going to give you a little vacation from some of the less pleasant things in life? Absolutely.
Personally, I got exactly what I wanted out of this book - a Christmas romance with a little magic thrown in. Sure it's a little cheesy - okay, okay, a lot cheesy - and you have to suspend belief a little (I'm looking at you "Aidan and Ashley just *happening* to run into each other in Manhattan" scene), but it's full of fun Christmas vibes, an interesting story line, and a happy ending. What better fluff could you possibly ask for around this time of year?
Pros:
- Fruitcake the dog = the bestest boy EVER
- Happily ever after
- Magical charm bracelet!
Cons:
- Just a wee bit contrived in some parts
- Maximum cheese (also a pro and you won't convince me otherwise)
- Simplistic plot (again, I stand by this also being a pro)
